Over the past few years, Ruffles has partnered with a series of professional athletes to launch uniquely flavored chips. Things launched last year with LeBron James and his Flamin’ Hot Sour Cream and Cheddar Chips and soon continued with Jayson Tatum and Flamin’ Hot BBQ chips. Now, the brand has an NBA legend on board to help promote one of the most unique chip flavors ever crafted.
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Friday, Ruffles announced it’s partnering Hall of Famer Charles Barkley to release hot dog-flavored ruffles; that’s right, Ruffles Hot Dog chips are launching in celebration of the NBA All-Star game this weekend. There is a slight catch: the chips will only be available at the Ruffles marketing activation at the All-Star game.
Ruffles isn’t the only Pepsi-owned brand making a splash at the NBA festivities this weekend. Earlier this month, the soda-maker announced Starry, the brand’s Sierra Mist replacement, is now the official soft drink of the professional basketball league.
STARRY Hits Different. It has an attitude that embraces the irreverent optimism of our consumers and basketball fans alike. We believe that a dose of the unexpected creates a little more fun, and that’s why partnerships with the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League, and specifically the 3-Point Contests, are the perfect fit for STARRY,” Starry marketing director Michael Smith offered in a press release. “STARRY will bring a fresh perspective to the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League and help elevate the game’s most exciting moments.”
NBA marketing lead Tara Mulcahy added, “We are thrilled to welcome STARRY to the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League as the leagues’ new official soft drink. The NBA family and PepsiCo have a tremendous track record of finding new and meaningful ways to engage our fans, and bringing the success we’ve built with PepsiCo’s portfolio of brands to STARRY through NBA All-Star is a fitting way to introduce the product to the public.”
In addition to the new partnership, Starry will have naming rights to the NBA All-Star Game’s three-point contest.
